Antalya: Turkey's Mediterranean Playground

Filed in archive Destination: Middle East , information about on May 29, 2009

© mavi_melek

Antalya is Turkey's Mediterranean playground. The beaches are beautiful. The water is warm. The nightlife is varied and moderately sophisticated. There are added attractions. The site is extremely close to some of the most beautiful mountains in the Mediterranean basin. History has left layers of archeological attractions in the area. And Antalya affords its visitors access to a number of surrounding seaside resorts and natural attractions.

The city of Antalya is the heart beat of tourism in Turkey. The official population is about 600,000. But summer months swell the city and the surrounding coasts as tourists on family holidays flood the city's luxury hotels and the surrounding beach resorts that line the Gulf of Antalya. The city serves to funnel international tourists out to the regions surrounding mountains and to the beaches and islands along the coasts where they can hike, swim, dive, and explorer the area's parks and caves.

A variety of historic sites line the Gulf of Antalya. Many date from the Roman Era. A few date to earlier than that. And a couple can be dated to before history of the region began to be recorded. French and English kings based themselves here in preparation for campaigns during the Crusades.

Since the 1970's Turkey has developed Antalya and the surrounding coastline into the nation's biggest single attraction for international tourists. The city has an acceptable airport and the region has won international awards for quality tourism.

Antalya has two good beaches. Konyaalti Beach stretches for several miles to the west of the city along the Gulf of Antalya and is dotted with park facilities (including Antalya Beach Park). Lara Beach is a more sandy beach east of Antalya. But the larger region has a number of good beaches. Several of the towns of the bay have developed into small beach resorts. The reasons seem obvious. The bay has some of the cleanest conditions in the Mediterranean and it is warm enough to allow sunbathing all year. Hot, dry summers give way to warm, moist winters with temperatures in the upper 50's and lower 60's (about 15 °C).

While the warm Mediterranean washes the beaches of Antalya, snow covers the peaks of the Taurus Mountains for much of the year a mere 30 or so miles away. Several of the peaks in the mountains west of Antalya rise to over 8,000 feet. The mountains provide an incredibly beautiful backdrop to the region's beaches and a setting for winter sports for part of the year. During the summer it is possible to camp and hike in the mountains. A few for the peaks provide for good mountain climbing.

Antalya boasts some of Turkey's most vibrant nightlife. You'll find everything from belly dancers to disco in the city's bars and clubs at night. If you're looking for something more mellow, the seafront bars in Antalya old quarter, Kaleiçi, provide a quieter atmosphere.

Antalya's Old Quarter has been restored in recent years and is the most attractive portion of the city now. Restaurants and hotels abound. And it has become the city's most important shopping and entertainment District. All of Kaleiçi is inside the city's old walls that date from Roman times. The old harbor (a modern marina now) also sits within the walls. The 35-hectare old city is divided into four neighbourhoods - Selçuk, Tuzcular, Barbaros and Kýlýçarslan. Be sure and see the historic Hadrian's Gate.

Enjoy Antalya...